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Cost Comparisons

REAL ID

Effective May 7, 2025, U.S travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights.  For more information click here.

Airfare cost comparisons are required for airline tickets that combine official University business travel with personal travel, and for driving over 500 miles one-way to a business destination. 

Combining Business with Personal Travel on an Airline Ticket:  

The University permits combining official University business travel with personal travel on an airline ticket per the following:

  • "Personal travel” is identified as any choice the traveler makes other than purchasing a roundtrip ticket for official University business travel.  Personal travel choices involve travel dates, destinations, detours, upgradeable fares, originating airports other than the traveler’s “work station” airport (for Lexington based employees, Louisville and Cincinnati airports are acceptable as well as Lexington’s), or any other choice that is not considered an official University business travel choice.
  • When a traveler chooses to combine business with personal travel on an airline ticket:
    • If the airfare quote for the ticket that combines business with personal travel is less expensive than the cost comparison, then the UK procurement card can be used to purchase the ticket.
    • If the airfare quote for the ticket that combines business with personal travel is more expensive than the cost comparison, then a personal credit card must be used to purchase the ticket. The traveler is reimbursed the cost comparison airfare after the ticket is used (travel is completed).
  • The airfare cost comparison for business-only travel and the actual ticket receipt must be submitted with the airline ticket procard expense report or the travel expense report if the ticket was not purchased with the UK procard.  Cost comparisons may be secured through Concur Travel or through UK’s AAA Corporate Travel Services or Avant Travel three days (either before or after) the ticket purchase date.
    • Through Concur Travel – Cost comparison must be printed within three days (either before or after) the date the ticket is purchased.  Ensure business-only travel search parameters are used based on the beginning/ending date and time of the business meeting.  On the flight options list, mark or highlight the itinerary/airfare that the traveler would hypothetically choose for official University business travel.  Ensure the print date shows on the cost comparison (which must match the actual ticket purchase date).  It's best to run the cost comparison from Concur and then "print to Adobe", and then save the PDF - in this way, the date stamp will show on the cost comparison. 
    • Through AAA or Avant Travel – Cost comparison email must be secured from AAA or Avant within three days (either before or after) the date the actual ticket is purchased.  The email must show the hypothetical itinerary/airfare that the traveler would choose for official University business travel.

Driving More than 500 Miles One-Way to a Business Location:

  • When a traveler chooses to drive a personal vehicle or a rental car over 500 miles one-way to the UK business destination, an airfare cost comparison and an Air versus Auto Travel Expense Form for UK business travel must be submitted with the travel expense report.  Reimbursement will be the lesser of either your actual driving expenses (including lodging and meal per diem if the day IS NOT your UK business travel day) or the estimated air expense total on the Air versus Auto Travel Expense Form. 
  • The airfare cost comparison for UK business travel (not to include personal travel) should be run at least 3 weeks prior to the start of travel, or as soon as the need for travel is known if inside of 3 weeks.
    • Through Concur Travel – Ensure business-only travel search parameters are used based on the beginning/ending date and time of the business meeting. On the flight options list, mark or highlight the itinerary/airfare that you (or the traveler) would hypothetically choose for official University business travel. Ensure the print date shows on the cost comparison (which must match the actual ticket purchase date). It's best to run the cost comparison from Concur and then "print to Adobe", and then save the PDF - in this way, the date stamp will show on the cost comparison. 
    • Through AAA or Avant Travel – Cost comparison email must show the hypothetical itinerary/airfare that the traveler would choose for official University business travel.

No Cost Comparison Obtained? 

If an airfare cost comparison is not appropriately secured as required for one of the travel scenarios above, then a Request for Historical Airfare Cost Comparison form must be completed and submitted to the email address indicated on the form.  

  •  Airfares will be researched for the traveler’s destination either on the actual ticket date for alternate vendor tickets or tickets combining business with personal travel or four weeks before travel for drivers.
  • The lowest airfare for which the traveler would have been eligible to receive will be reported on the form as the cost comparison amount.  The form will then be returned to the contact person shown on the form. 

 

 

 

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